Normally, you sow a seed into a growing medium, such as damp seed starting mix or peat pots. Next, it begins to swell as it breaks down the seed coat, absorbs larger amounts of water and oxygen, and sprouts roots or radicle, followed by the shoot that forms into the stem and foliage. A seed begins germinating once it is exposed to warmth and moisture.įirst, the seed absorbs moisture and oxygen, which triggers the embryo to wake up. The seeds of all plants are dormant or inactive until the conditions are right for their germination. Now, I routinely germinate tomato seeds, peppers, eggplants, Swiss chard, cabbage, melons, cucumber, broccoli, squash, cilantro, spinach, and kale on damp paper towels before planting. I didn’t expect much from them, but they did grow into healthy transplants that were eventually planted into the garden.Īfter experiencing how easy it was to see which seeds germinated using paper towels, I decided to pre-sprout more of my indoor vegetable seeds. I planted the sprouted seeds and watched the seedlings carefully to see if they would grow. I checked the viability of the seeds by doing a seed germination test using a damp paper towel in baggies.Ībout half the old seeds sprouted, a 50% germination rate, and the rest were duds. I hated to throw the package away without checking to see if they were still good. I had pepper seeds that were several years old. Germinating seeds in a paper towel is a great method for the impatient gardener, because it lets you see your seeds sprout before they are covered with soil.
One of the most frustrating things about starting vegetables from seeds is waiting for them to emerge from the soil.
#Sprout seeds how to#
Learn how to germinate seeds in a paper towel with this tutorial.
Wondering whether your garden seeds will sprout? You can eliminate some of the wait time by germinating seeds before they are planted.
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